Destiny
by akumaREI
Summary: When the Prince and his manservant stumble across an injured girl, they have no idea how it will affect them and their own entwined destiny. Will this girl's secrets threaten those around her? Will her presence threaten the very foundation of Camelot?
1. Chapter 1

Alright. Gonna upload this and see what kind of response I can get. I've recently become _obsessed_ with Merlin. So here we go with my first attempt at writing these characters. I hope you guys enjoy and remember that this is only a teaser chapter to see if people will enjoy it. If you like it, please leave a review otherwise I may not continue it.

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Screams echoed throughout the small valley town. Smoke created a curtain. A curtain that hid not the pain and agony, but intensified it and made the whole scene more grim. Bodies were strewn across the road, the lawns, fences, gardens. Each bleeding horrifically from arrow and sword wounds. Metallic steps clanged their way down the main street, the formation of knights coming to a stop before a man on horseback. This man bore no mark, wore no colors. But he congratulated the knights on their slaughter as if he was a fine king who'd set out to rid his kingdom of evil and conspirators. The man turned his horse and began a slow trot out of the valley, his knights following behind on foot.

None of them saw the young woman. She was bloody but still alive. Her leggings wrapped her legs lightly and were tucked into knee boots. Her tunic was one normally crafted for a male. Across her back was a bone-white longbow; at her hip hung a quiver of arrows. She quickly ran from the shelter of a building to a body hanging haphazardly from a fence post. She gripped the man's collar, knuckles white. Her body quivered with sadness, anger, hopelessness. Her hand traveled up to the man's neck and found the leather cord that had always hung around his neck since she could remember. In it's pristine days, the cord was of white leather and held a clear dewdrop of crystal. Now the cord was stained crimson and the pendant, pale pink. With a tug, the girl took the necklace and tucked it into a pocket. A few heart wrenching sobs later, the girl stood, said goodbye to her father and walked out of the village.

She heard the banter and laughter in the distance coupled with an orange glow from a campfire. Somehow she'd stumbled across the knights' camp. She'd made to step backwards and take another route but was stopped by the wall she'd backed into. No, not a wall. A plate metal encased knight. The scream died in her throat.

"Dun' be scared, now." The knight's voice was like a whet stone being drug over iron and made her shiver. "We may have a job for a witch such as y'self."

The girl only stood there, her back against this mountain of a man, trying to calm her breaths. She waited.

After what seemed like hours, the knight finally made the mistake she was waiting on. He lowered his hand from her shoulder. The moment she felt his weight lift she spun, fire already wrapping around her hand. It struck him hard in the face and his gurgled scream rang through the trees. Shouts could be heard followed by stomping and snapping of branches as the rest of the formation closed in. The girl spat on the man's fallen form before turning and stopping short. More knights blocked her path but still she ran. She had to escape, had to be free. Not expecting her flight, the knights were slow to follow. The men more quick on their feet had already began lobbing arrows into the darkness, hoping the fates would let them strike home.

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"So what is the point of hunting if you don't bring back your kills?"

Arthur had heard similar queries from his raven haired manservant throughout the trek. He'd tried explaining the thrill of the hunt and glory of the kill, but the soft hearted Merlin wanted nothing to do with his answers. The prince only sighed and kept walking.

"I just find it to be a waste if you leave the animals to rot." Another sigh from Arthur. "I think that-"

"Merlin!" Arthur hissed. "Now is not the time for you to preach to me about the rights and wrongs of hunting. Now be quiet."

The young warlock rolled his eyes but did as his master requested. Arthur dropped down to one knee behind a fallen tree, his crossbow resting on the rotten wood. Merlin knew this pose. The Prince would be here for at the least an hour, waiting and hoping on some defenseless creature to walk past. With the knowledge that Arthur would remain stationary, Merlin quietly wandered off. If the Prince became agitated, he could merely say that he was trying to flush out the wildlife.

No one has ever made the claim that Merlin was coordinated. Merlin himself knew better than to assume that he was light on his feet. So it didn't surprise him in the least when he tripped (he would later say that the root ripped from the ground and made to trip him) and landed face first. As with anyone, his first reaction was to quickly glance around, making sure no one saw his clumsiness. He chuckled to himself, knowing that he was quite far from Arthur and that no one had in fact... wait. He glanced back to what had just halted his thoughts.

Hair.

Leaves had fallen since the body did and they were obscuring most of his view. He drew closer and saw the small shoulders, slim waist. This was no creature. It was a young woman. He had just reached the body when the hairs on his neck stood on end and every fiber of his being told him to duck. Just as he dropped to the ground he heard the tale-tell 'zzthpp' of Arthur's arrow zipping through the air, just where Merlin's head had been.

"Hey!" The brunette yelled, stretching the simple word into three syllables. Shortly after the Prince came into view, a scowl already on his face.

"_Mer_lin." Arthur started. "Do you really have to go frolicking through the woods when

I'm _hunting_?"

Merlin said nothing. Instead he leaned forward and touched the still body. Arthur, now noticing the figure dropped to his knees and stroked back the blood-caked hair, allowing the boys to see, as Merlin expected, the face of a girl. Arthur's heart stilled as he saw the arrow protruding from the girl's arm. His manservant noticed this at the same time.

"You... shot her."

The Prince's face paled and he started shaking his head. "I shot but once."

"Then-" Merlin began but was interrupted by the Prince picking up the girl.

"We must get her to Gaius." He said as he placed the girl on his horse and mounted behind her. Merlin quickly mounted his own horse and the pair rode swiftly back to the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

Various potion bottles and scraps of parchment were scattered from the low table in Gaius' chambers and the injured girl was carefully placed there by the Prince. The elderly physician leaned close, inspecting the arrow wound.

"Merlin, fetch me that moleskin pouch." He commanded, gesturing in the general direction of a storage cupboard. With a quick nod, the boy turned and began rummaging through the stack of leather pouches before finally selecting the correct one and returning it to Gaius.

"I'll need pressure." Gaius spoke as he withdrew the herbs from the pouch, packing them around the arrow shaft. "It seems her struggles after she was shot both helped and hurt her. See here, the arrow shaft has been snapped." Gaius pointed to the bolt and Arthur leaned in closer to look. "It shifted in her arm doing more damage, but it will allow us to easily remove it."

Merlin had gathered the teapot from the fire and dipped a rag into the water and was waiting next to Gaius. "On three, then Merlin." Gaius wrapped a hand around the shaft and braced his other hand on the girl's elbow. "One... two.." Merlin covered the shattered end of the shaft with the rag. "Three." With a quick jerk, Gaius pulled the arrow from the girl's arm. Merlin was quick to cover both wounds with the cloth. During this, Arthur had only stood in the background, watching the girl's face silently. He found it odd that there was no wince, so sign of pain. It was as if she were already...

"I'll need to clean that and get her bandaged. I can manage that bit on my own. You should be getting back, sire." Gaius said, stepping between the Prince and the girl, physically blocking his line of sight.

"Right then." Arthur said, now snapped from his trance. "Merlin." The Prince commanded as he stepped out of Gaius' chambers.

"Shall I get myself a collar, sire?" Merlin said under his breath as he too left the room, following his master.

"Don't be silly, _Mer_lin." Arthur said, popping out from behind Gaius' still open door. "Then I would have to reward you like a dog as well." The Prince scoffed. "And that would spoil you."

The rest of Merlin's night was routine. Undress the Prince, prepare his bath, pick up his room and bring up his meal. Once Arthur was taken care of, Merlin made his way back to the rooms he shared with Gaius. Back to the young girl.

When he walked in, he noticed that she'd been cleaned. Her hair, which he now could tell was an odd color that reminded him of amber, was free of blood, dirt and leaves and was as straight as a needle. Her arm was wrapped tightly, the white of the bandage nearly blending in with her sickly pale skin.

"If we can fend off the infection through the night, we will be in much safer waters. I'll stay awake with her, you've had a busy day and tomorrow will be long." Gaius said, shuffling into the room and sitting on a small stool next to the table, his hands already reaching up to gather the towel from her forehead.

"I can-"

"No, Merlin. You need your rest." And with that, Gaius turned from Merlin completely and went back to his task.

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_Panic. Fear. Pain. Anger. Loss. 'Where am I... I must... get away.'_

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The next morning, Merlin awoke earlier than normal. Something was amiss. Something had woken... a tugging sensation. There. He felt it again. He quickly tossed his sheet to the side and ran from the room fully expecting to find Gaius in some great peril.

What he found completely stunned him. Gaius was there, perfectly safe, draped over the empty table in his sleep. Empty? Merlin took two steps toward his mentor but one whispered word stopped him.

"_Batede._"

He knew the spell immediately, having read over it countless times in his book. The whispered incantation to heal oneself. He turned toward the sound as if moving through water. He saw the shaking girl crouching in the corner, her left hand pressed over the bandage wrapping her bicep. Tears streaked down her face. Merlin's heart instantly broke from seeing her in this state. He took a small, slow step forward, raising his hands slightly when he saw her start.

"It's alright. My good friend Gaius," He whispered, motioning back to the sleeping man. "Has cleaned your wound. We've made sure you're safe. You're protected here."

The young woman nodded slowly, worrying her bottom lip. Merlin stepped a bit closer before squatting a few feet from her. "Can I get your name?" He asked quietly. She looked him square in the eyes. His blue eyes connecting with her sea green.

"Corinne."

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I do not own Merlin or any of its characters.


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright here's the next chapter. I got ONE review... much love to you! But I also have a few people watching this fiction, so I suppose I'll continue it. There will be a conversation in the beginning that I am taking complete liberty with. If you don't like it or would like to criticize, feel free because I don't actually know what was actually used for food preservation in those days other than salt. So if you were alive around 600 A.D, feel free to leave a review telling me how I've got it wrong :D**

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"Alright then, would you like something to eat?" Merlin asked quietly. He stood and began making his way to the cookpot next to the fire, knowing that he and Gaius would need to break their fast whether the newcomer wanted to or not. He was busily mixing ground wheat with a bit of cream and curd for a bland but filling breakfast when he finally heard her response.

"Brine."

Merlin had to stop his movements and reflect back on any possible form of conversation he might have had with the strange girl to warrant such a random response. Alas, he could think of no question he could have asked verbal or no that would receive any answer close to 'brine.' Finally giving up on his attempts to make sense of her, Merlin turned to the girl with one eyebrow raised.

"Brine you say?"

Corinne nodded slightly, not taking her eyes off the iron pot nestled in the flames.

"What may I ask, would this brine be?" Merlin shot her a lopsided grin.

"The porridge." She offered, as if this simple statement would bring clarity to the slightly confused warlock. A few moments passed in silence before she finally sighed and rolled forward slightly, sitting cross-legged. "You can add in a bit of brine to add some flavor. My da always used pork brine."

Merlin's face instantly formed into one of acknowledgment. "I do believe we have some." With that he stood and began to rummage through various jars and urns in search of the aforementioned 'brine.' When he finally found what he was looking for he turned, shocked to see Corinne sitting next to the cookpot, stirring slowly. "I can get that, you should rest." And he reached out for the wooden spoon.

"I can manage. It's the least I can do." She said as she pulled away from him, her voice still quiet, as she jerked her chin in the direction of her injured arm.

Merlin sat down next to her with the jar of pickled pig ears and offered her the container. She poured just a bit into the pot and continued to stir. Merlin took this time to take a better assessment of her current state. Yes, she was still tired looking, but some of her color was coming back. She seemed to have a tan about her that spoke of field work or errand running. She was still dressed like a boy in her riding pants and short sleeved tunic. Her boots were by the table. All three articles of clothing would need replacing as even Gwen could do nothing to repair the damage.

Her hair was straight and medium length, quite the oddity in Camelot, as most girls had either curly or wavy hair and would keep it worn long. The color however was most odd. Merlin found himself staring, trying to pick which color it was. At first glance it seemed golden. At times it seemed red, others a bright corn yellow. She was not a common looking girl to say the least.

A wooden bowl being pushed into his hands shook him from his thoughts and he looked down at the item, surprised to see a completed breakfast in his lap. He glanced up to offer his thanks, but Corinne was already up and walking to Gaius, gently shaking him awake and offering him a bowl of the porridge as well. She returned to her corner and quietly ate her food while the two men simply looked at each other, confused by her strange behavior.

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"How is she?" Arthur asked as he lounged in his bed, watching Merlin pick up his room. His manservant's sour mood had been obvious since he first entered the room and it was starting to bring down the Prince as well.

"She's fine." Merlin answered shortly. Arthur scowled at the snipped reply. Merlin started out the door but was halted by the Prince calling his name. Just as he turned he saw the dingy shirt being thrown his way and in his scramble to catch the piece of cloth, he fumbled the rest of the items in his arms and they all went crashing to the floor. With a sigh and shoulders slumped, he bent to pick up the scattered clothes and armor once again. Biting back an insult, he turned and walked from the room, ignoring the thud of yet another item hitting the closed door.

Merlin was luckily getting used to this treatment and was able to chalk it up to the brotherly banter he was able to have with the Prince. When he'd first arrived here in Camelot, he found the Prince to be quite the ass. To be honest with himself, the Prince still had his moments, but Merlin had learned to deal with them. Now however, after all they'd been through together, their quarrels were more like inside jokes, funny quips saved in their memories. For instance, the mere mention of the name Vivian left Merlin in quiet laughter and a reddening face and Arthur with an expression of nothing less than pure anger.

The warlock continued down the hallway, passing various art pieces and doorways before he realized that he'd passed a familiar doorway. Backtracking, he stopped at the heavy wooden door and knocked quietly. Seconds later the door was opened by a friendly face.

"Hullo Gwen." Merlin greeted with a grin.

"Merlin!" She exclaimed, taking in his armload with a worried look. Her unvoiced question was answered with a shrug. "Are you here for Morgana?"

The boy shifted his load a bit, seemingly out of nervousness. "I came to ask a favor... a gift really. I don't have the money to buy anything."

Gwen placed a hand on her hip and shifted her weight, grinning lightly. "And that gift is...?"

Merlin made to answer but no sound came out. He blushed a bit and cleared his throat. "A dress." His eyes darted anywhere but Gwen's face that was currently straining not to laugh out loud. "Or girly pants? And tunic? Is there such a thing?" Merlin was becoming more and more embarrassed.

"Does this have anything to do with me finding you snooping in Morgana's wardrobe?" A cocked eyebrow from the girl.

"Wha- no! No no no. I uh... A friend."

"Right, a friend. And about what size would this 'friend' of yours be?" Gwen asked, her laughter finally bubbling forth and stealing some of her words.

"About your size I'm guessing." Merlin was only answered with a nod and a closed door, followed by more laughing and a giggled conversation. 'Great,' the sorcerer thought, 'Now the entire castle will think that I like to wear... dresses.'

Merlin only sighed and continued on to his and Gaius' chambers, the echoes of laughter following him the whole way.

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I do not own BBC's Merlin or any of its characters.


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